In search of effective mindfulness practices to combat daily stress, we turned to a diverse group of professionals, including CEOs and life coaches, for their personal strategies. From embracing self-awareness to reducing stress through doodling, we’ve gathered fifteen unique approaches to help you navigate life’s daily stressors. Here are 15 mindfulness practices for a calmer life.
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- Embrace Self-Awareness
- Reconnect with the Present
- Shake Off Stress with Vigorous Movement
- Focus on the Breath to Stay Present
- Discover Calm through Body Scans
- Start Your Day with Meditation
- Harness the Power of Gratitude
- Think of Three Good Things Before Sleep
- Set Boundaries and Open Conversations
- Allocate Time for Personal Reflection
- Process Emotions through Journaling
- Prioritize Physical Well-being
- Slow Down with Meditative Walking
- Explore the Mind-Body Connection
- Reduce Stress through Doodling
Embrace Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the key to maintaining a healthy balance of stress. Pattern-interrupt habits are useful when cortisol or dopamine levels are rising. Breathwork and self-talk have been found to be effective.
Box breaths are fantastic for slowing your heart rate and bringing you to the present moment. The method taught is the 5×5. Inhale for 5 slow counts, hold for 5 counts, exhale for 5 counts, and stay empty for 5. Repeat 5 times and see how your energy shifts.
Stressful thought loops can be interrupted with comforting self-talk such as, “It’s just temporary. Everything always works out in the end. I am open to all possible solutions.” This helps to remain present and not get lost in future outcomes and worst-case scenarios.
Anastasia Gerali, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Abundance Life Coach, Art of Aligned Living
Reconnect with the Present
Often, stress comes from not being in the present moment. We can disassociate from our bodies and get stuck in our thoughts. The thoughts that create stress are either focused on the past (regrets) or the future (worries).
A quick and easy way to get back into the present moment is to connect to our breath. Taking deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth is a pattern that relaxes the body. In the Max Meditation System™ from The Modern Mystery School, we teach people to relax the body first because the mind follows the body.
Dawn Ressel, Certified Healer, Guide, and Meditation Coach. Author., The Light Within
Shake Off Stress with Vigorous Movement
One mindfulness technique I rely on is shaking my body vigorously for a minute when I feel overwhelmed. I stand up straight, set a timer, and shake out all my limbs, letting them flail wildly—shaking my hands, wiggling my torso, and stomping my feet in a frenzy of motion. This fast, cathartic full-body shaking instantly diffuses mounting stress by releasing pent-up nervous energy.
By the time the timer dings, I feel more relaxed and clear-headed. While seemingly odd, the vigorous shaking helps prevent anxiety from building up by guiding me back to equilibrium when pressures mount. It brings me into the present moment by fully engaging my physical body and tuning into the sensations in my limbs rather than worried thoughts.
The practice is simple, and highly effective for alleviating overwhelm by shaking off stress so I can return to tasks with renewed patience and focus. While unconventional, this helps me handle daily demands with more mindfulness and grace under pressure.
Mona Kirstein, Ph.D., Digital Strategist, Holistic Coach and Consultant, The Wholehearted Path
Focus on the Breath to Stay Present
Pausing and paying attention to my breath, this is the most basic and frequently mentioned technique for mindfulness. It is rightfully so since it is nearly impossible to pay complete attention to our breathing and think simultaneously.
Note, I say “nearly.” Our minds are designed to think and stay busy, so I remind myself to practice patience and radical acceptance. I gently notice my thoughts and pat them on the back, saying, “I see you,” before releasing them without attachment. Coming back to the inhale and exhale, I focus specifically on the texture of the air entering and exiting my nostrils, the sensation of expansion and contraction in my lungs and body, and the slight, yet infinite pause and suspension between the inhale and exhale. This draws me deeper into the beauty of the present moment.
Dr. Jo Lamm, Holistic Life, Wellness, Spiritual Coach and Yoga Teacher, TulaSoul
Discover Calm through Body Scans
One mindfulness practice that has been a game-changer for me in navigating daily stress is the Body Scan technique. It’s a simple, yet powerful way to pay close attention to different parts of my body. By tuning into each area, I become aware of sensations I usually overlook, like tension or even discomfort.
How to Do It:
- Find a quiet space to sit or lie down.
- Close your eyes and take deep breaths.
- Start scanning from your toes upwards, consciously noting feelings or sensations.
Whenever you feel stressed, take a moment for a quick body scan. Even five minutes can make a difference. Just stopping and giving yourself the time to be mindful can turn a hectic day into a manageable one.
Jacob Maslow, Owner, Rest Equation
Start Your Day with Meditation
One mindfulness practice that has truly made a difference in my life is daily meditation. Each morning, before the day’s demands set in, I take a quiet moment for myself to sit in silence and breathe. I focus on my breath, allowing thoughts to come and go without judgment.
This practice helps me to start my day from a place of inner peace and calm, better equipped to handle the daily stressors that come my way. It doesn’t eliminate life’s challenges, but it does provide me with a centered and balanced mindset to navigate them.
Nadia Podrabinek, Travel Expert, Mother, Why This Place
Harness the Power of Gratitude
Expressing gratitude is a powerful mindfulness practice that helps navigate daily stressors and promote overall well-being. Gratitude practice, such as consciously focusing on and appreciating the positive aspects of life, is beneficial even in challenging moments.
Keeping a gratitude journal where a few things to be grateful for each day are written down is a good practice. These include big and small things, such as a beautiful sunset, a supportive friend, or a delicious meal. Regularly reflecting on these positive aspects helps shift the mindset towards appreciation.
Combining gratitude with mindful breathing is also beneficial. With each inhale and exhale, thinking of something to be grateful for helps stay in the present moment and promotes relaxation. Gratitude writing and mindful breathing are significant stress-busters.
Shrishti Shetty, Marketing Coordinator, Achievable
Think of Three Good Things Before Sleep
Before you retire for the night, reflect on your day and think about three things that were good. We also recommend performing a gratitude ritual when you wake up in the morning. What are you thankful for? Gratitude can help anchor your mind and provide a sense of calm.
James Higgins, Sleep Specialist and Founder, Ethical Bedding
Set Boundaries and Open Conversations
Our business revolves around helping our clients set boundaries in their lives, and I try to emulate that in my own life.
For instance, I have open, honest, and transparent conversations with those around me about where I’m at and how I’m doing, and I never shy away from upholding a boundary I’ve set in my life. By living this way, I not only help navigate my own daily stressors, but I can also lead by example in my business.
Nicholas Mathews, CEO, Stillwater Behavioral Health
Allocate Time for Personal Reflection
To effectively manage daily stressors, one of the mindfulness practices I rely on is allocating time for personal reflection. Every morning, I take a few minutes to sit in silence and reflect on my thoughts and feelings. This helps me gain insight into what triggers my stress and how I can better manage it.
Additionally, this practice has helped me stay grounded and remain positive despite challenging situations. Carving out moments for reflection has proven to be an invaluable asset in my daily anxiety management.
Tadas Pukas, Founder and CEO, MinimalisticLinen
Process Emotions through Journaling
I dedicate a few minutes every day to jot down my thoughts and feelings in a journal to navigate daily stressors. Journaling has provided me with an outlet to process my emotions and reduce stress—it helps me gain clarity and improve my overall mental well-being with self-reflection and emotional regulation.
Occasionally, I’ll use prompts to guide my writing, such as “What challenges did I face, and how did I overcome them?” or “What am I grateful for today?
Saad Alam, Co-Founder and CEO, Hone Health
Prioritize Physical Well-being
Taking care of your body is an important part of managing stress. When most people think of mindfulness, they think of things like meditation and yoga. But a big part of living a healthy lifestyle is taking care of your mental well-being.
If you’re not sleeping enough, eating unhealthy foods, and running yourself ragged, the stressors will inevitably build up. Maintaining a clean, organic lifestyle is a great way to care for your physical self while also supporting stress reduction and mental health.
Agatha Relota Luczo, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Furtuna Skin
Slow Down with Meditative Walking
One mindfulness practice that has helped navigate daily stressors is meditative walking. Our breath, body, and mind are all integrated with each other, and when we slow down movement and breathing, the mind will follow. It is important to maintain good posture during meditative walking, and there are many things to be mindful of when doing this, such as relaxing your breath or paying attention to the amount of weight you are putting on one leg.
Great places to try this out are at the beach, in a hallway, or even in your own living room. However, make sure you’re eliminating as many distractions for yourself as possible.
Christian Ofori-Boateng, CEO, ChristianSteven
Explore the Mind-Body Connection
Exploring the mind-body connection has been the most powerful way for me to manage everyday stressors. The idea that your thoughts affect the state of your body is intriguing, but it also works the other way around. How you hold and move your body will affect how you feel and think.
To manage daily stress, I take the time to breathe deeply and feel the movement of my body. I also focus on how my feet feel as I stand or sit. Paying attention to how I feel steady on my feet, firm in my arms, or in my gut quickly shifts my focus from what’s bothering me.
I get physical reminders by observing the sensations in my body that I am all right and strong. Such simple practices make handling my work and life a breeze.
Debashri Dutta, Founder, Dmdutta.com
Reduce Stress through Doodling
I really like to doodle when I think because it helps me regain focus and also allows my creative thinking skills to be at their best. I find that creating little pictures gets your mind in a better place, which is a must when it comes to reducing my stress and anxiety. It allows me to switch focus, so instead of fixating on what’s stressing me out, I can think about something else that is more productive.
Kevin D’Arcy, CEO, DocCapture
